New Mice Problems

Question
Hi Natasha,

I bought two 6-8 week old girl mice 5 days ago at a pet store nearby. The first three days I had them, they were both angels. They would climb all over my boyfriend and me, and loved being handled. However, they were both sneezing a little bit, so I took them to the vet yesterday to get them on medicine for URIs.

In the past two days, they have started biting me. My one mouse, Ruby, started biting first, and then it seems like her sister, Rogue, has picked up on the behavior. Also, it seems like Ruby doesn't want to be handled at all anymore. She will put her front feet on my hand but won't go any further. Rogue still hops right in my hand and climbs all over my arms, but she keeps biting!

It really bums me out. What am I doing wrong? I am a first time mouse owner, so I don't know what kind of behavior is normal. The bites don't really hurt, they are just uncomfortable. I can't tell if my mice are trying to hurt me, because they feel threatened, or if they are being affectionate. I have tried tapping them on the nose, but I am still afraid of being bitten. Is this behavior normal? What can I do? Could it be because they are getting over their colds?

I know I just bombarded you with questions, and I really appreciate your expertise. Thanks so much for your help!

All the best,
Lindsay

Answer
Dear Lindsay,

Mice do sometimes undergo a personality change at a young age. They often become less affectionate. It can be kind of sad. On the other hand, mice also become sweeter as they age.

If Ruby puts her paws on you, it does not mean she does not want to be picked up. She is still asking you to pick her up, just she wants you to do it for her. She wouldn't interact with you unless she was interested in you. Even mice who don't ask, like to be picked up. She would run and hide if she did not.

If the biting doesn't hurt, that is, it isn't violent, the main thing I have found is just expect it and don't be afraid. I first figured this out when I had a girl who always bit, kind of hard, when I put my hand in the cage. Finally I decided it was going to happen anyway, and so when I put my hand in the cage, the first thing I did was to offer her my finger. She would nip me, but since I was expecting it, it was fine. Then she would let me do whatever I wanted to do. Over time her nips got less and less hard, and in the end she stopped biting completely -- she now trusted me in her territory because I had basically been polite.

That is what I suggest if they nip you in the cage. It is their territory.

But when they nip when they are out, it should be discouraged. First, like above, simply decide that you area grown-up (or at least old enough to write a very cohesive letter!) and can stand a teeny pinch. Expect it to happen and don't be scared. And secondly, extremely gently tapping the top of the nose is usually effective. Remember, you are not trying to hurt them. Make sure you are not touching the actual wet little nose. That would hurt.

I can't rule out some emotional reaction to being medicated (I assume you are scruffing them?) of course. In that case they might stop after they are done. But if they are not discouraged now, they may develop the habit anyway. It is best to end the behavior as soon as possible.

However, if it does not work, you absolutely must not escalate your reaction. Tapping the nose is the furthest you can go. You absolutely must not go from discouraging to punishing.

I hope they don't continue nipping forever. But if they do, you just need to decide that it is not a big deal. That takes away the fear factor, and the nervousness.

Let me know if this works and if they stop nipping.

Best of luck!

Squeaks,

Natasha